City scales back water flow through recently repaired feeder main

Calgary is now under Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions.

Because of recent wire snaps along Calgary's recently repaired feeder main, the city is scaling back water flow.

And that will again postpone lifting the current outdoor water restrictions.

"We have made a decision out of caution to turn off the third pump at the Bearspaw water treatment plant," the city said Friday.

"This means that we are currently flowing water through the feeder main at 70 per cent of its maximum capacity.

"Based on this flow rate, we can meet demand under Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions, but we would not be able to meet demand if we lifted restrictions entirely."

There have been more than a dozen wire snaps along the feeder main.

No new ones were reported on Thursday.

Officials have previously said these wire snaps "are not a sign that a feeder main break is imminent."

Calgarians have been living with some amount of water restrictions, indoors or out, since the feeder main ruptured in June.

Since then, the city has been inching toward a return to normalcy.

More information about what is and isn't allowed under Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions is available on the City of Calgary website.

According to the city, Calgarians used 706 million litres of water on Thursday, which was "higher than expected."

The city says more information will follow next week, and it is ceasing daily updates in the meantime.